The writing team of award-winning romance author Kat Bastion and Stone Bastion

Tag Archives: charities

June is the most popular month for weddings, and a celebrated wedding tradition is the tossing of the bouquet. The bride, overflowing with love and happiness, tosses her bouquet in a symbolic gesture of sharing her good fortune with others.

How blessed are we with our good fortune? Warm Bed. Hot meals. A safe home. Those who love us. … Freedom.

We are all the bride. (Men, if you can be the groom…if you insist.) 😉 This amazing life we live with loved ones and choices is our wedding celebration. {whispers} Yes I know, Uncle Ned is making a spectacle of himself on the dance floor, but oh…what great stories we’ll have to tell later. {nods} The budget nearly popped a seam, but we’ve been showered with gifts and we’re about to pay it forward…

Let’s all Toss the Bouquet this June. Join me in making a beautiful bouquet of the abundant blessings we have and toss it out to the world.

Our flowers will burst into millions of petals, raining love onto those who need it the most. Thoughts, prayers, dreams, and donations all transform into something wonderful for another…all because we tossed a bouquet filled with love.

Toss the Bouquet Charity Event

The Toss the Bouquet Charity Event is to raise awareness and help support charities who fight against human trafficking, a pervasive worldwide tragedy that must be stopped. The problem is enormous. And it’s not “over there” … It’s everywhere.

How can you participate in Toss the Bouquet?

Donate any amount to any of the charities listed on the Charity Support and Awareness page from May 31st through June 15th, 2013. Some of the charities, like Not For Sale and International Princess Project, have stores where you can purchase products to support them. You can do that too!

During the event, I’ve also reduced the price of Kindle and paperback versions Utterly Loved. The romantic book of poetry is shared with the world for charity, its proceeds supporting Covenant House and World Vision. Sylvain Reynard, a humanitarian who inspired me to use my author platform in conjunction with charitable causes, wrote the brilliant and inspiring foreword to Utterly Loved. Be sure to pick up a copy…and perhaps a few to share with others.

Toss the Bouquet Giveaway

The Toss the Bouquet Charity Event is all about helping the charities to help those in need. Mr. Bastion and I also wanted to give everyone participating in the Toss the Bouquet Charity Event a chance to win something special.

We are giving away three items to three lucky winners. One e-book copy of Utterly Loved, one signed paperback copy of Utterly Loved…

And…one special gift of jewelry from Pandora as a keepsake from the Toss the Bouquet event: Pandora’s sterling silver with 14k gold Love Bouquet charm on Pandora’s sterling silver bracelet.

To enter the giveaway, email me at giveaways@katbastion.com with your donation receipt of any amount (or a purchase receipt from one of their stores) for any of the charities listed on the Charity Support and Awareness page by midnight June 15th, 2013 and click on the below link to enter the below Rafflecopter giveaway.

Other Authors Supporting The Charities

I would like to mention two authors I met through Twitter who also support charities fighting against human trafficking:

Heather Huffman weaves the issue of human trafficking into her stories, is an activist in the cause, and a portion of book proceeds goes toward charities fighting against human trafficking. Read more about her books and human trafficking on Heather’s website.

Sylvain Reynard utilizes his author platform to bring awareness and support to many amazing charities, including those fighting against human trafficking. SR wrote a wonderful post a few days ago on his website… “Why Charity?”

Your purchase of their incredible books supports the authors, who in turn support the charities.

Please share this blog post and/or news of the Toss the Bouquet Charity Event and Giveaway with your social media. Encourage your friends and followers to join us in supporting those charities that fight against human trafficking. Let’s set every one of those lost souls free and show them they are utterly loved.

In recent weeks I’ve been posting weather reports on Twitter from the Highlands. Every morning before dawn, I race into the woods after my favorite alpha male characters and their feisty heroines, inking their adventures into stories to share with all of you.

If you hadn’t already noticed on either my website or my spirited Twitter posts, I write time-travel paranormal romances set mostly in the medieval Highlands of Scotland.

This fall, I’ll be bringing you the first story in the series.
{vibrates excitedly}

The 2013 Calendar

First Manuscript

The first award-winning manuscript in the series is nearly ready to publish. Starting next week, I’ll be glued to my keyboard as I incorporate the insightful suggestions made by my beta readers.

In mid-April, the manuscript is going to a wonderful freelance editor.
{cringes, imagining a chainsaw ripping into my work of art}

A creative summer will be filled with final edits, final proofing, cover art, and arranging a promotional tour.

The first book is tentatively set for a September 2013 release date.

Holiday Novella

My early morning Twitter weather reports from Inverness, Scotland?

They’ve prepared me for the daily plunge into the snowy forests of the Highlands in a holiday novella I’m also penning for the series.

Incorporating characters from all three of the longer novels, the novella will release in November of 2013.

Second Manuscript

Furious drafting of the second manuscript has begun. While chasing after my characters to document their wild adventures, I’ve been typing two to three thousand words a day.

I anticipate an early 2014 release for the second book.

About the Stories

I’ve had such a blast combining my favorite genres–paranormal, romance, and the medieval Highlands–into my writing. All the stories feature strong characters who go on a journey of self-discovery, finding unexpected love amid their turbulent adventures.

Many themes center on the difficulties in overcoming issues of trust and the rewards of learning acceptance. Redemption will play a large role in the second and third novels of the series.

Some of the stories will also highlight the great tragedy of human trafficking set within the timeframe of the stories. The characters struggle with the grave injustice brought into their lives and learn to survive and thrive in spite of the darkness of their world.

The completed series will tell the stories of three siblings whose lives and clan are affected by a very unique kind of magick.
{refuses to give away spoilers} 😉

ARC Reviews and Blog Tours

Are you a book reviewer?
Do you love paranormal romance, time-travel, or Highlander romances?

I’ve begun a list for ARC copies. If you’re a book reviewer interested in reviewing the book for its release, and we’ve not yet spoken, please contact me via Twitter or by email. I’d love to add you to the list.

If you participate on a blog or with a magazine and wish to be a part of any of the promotional tours, please email me your information and ideas. I’d love to start building that list and calendar as well.

As I mentioned, I’m anticipating a release of the first book sometime in September 2013 and the novella sometime in November 2013, but will know firmer dates as the months progress.

Donations to Charities

In recent months, traveling along my own road of self-discovery, I’ve become a more selfless creature and strive to continue toward that end every day.

Both World Vision and Covenant House support efforts to fight human trafficking. In November of 2012, the romantic poetry collection of Utterly Loved, with inspiring foreword by the incredible author and humanitarian Sylvain Reynard, was published to support those worthy charities.

With every other book I publish, a portion of the proceeds will go to an ever-growing list of charities in the hopes of raising awareness and increasing support for those that are lost in this world and in need of our love.

Final Thoughts

Now that I’m chronicling a rowdy clan of Highlanders, my weekly blog posts will transform into spontaneous musings. I’ll occasionally wander out of the forest for a signal on my electronic devices.

My goals for the year are to get that first book into your hands by early fall and release that novella by the holidays.

On the heels of an unexpected early release for Utterly Loved with Foreword by Sylvain Reynard, and the book still rocketing to #1 on Amazon New Releases Best Sellers Love Poems, #1 on Amazon Best Sellers Love Poems, and #4 on Amazon Best New Releases Poetry, a very exciting Release Week is lined up with Utterly Loved signed copy giveaways. A schedule of upcoming events that will be updated with links as they post, links to blogs who have already posted stories about Utterly Loved, and links to purchase Utterly Loved all appear below.

Utterly Loved ~ Cover Reveal

The intention of Utterly Loved is to touch the hearts of readers and share our love with the world through charities. The image on the cover had to be universal. The elegant art has an elemental beauty. I hope you all love the cover as much as I do.

Utterly Loved Book Cover

{whispers} If you’re curious who did the cover art… I did. From the water-color painting of a crumpled piece of parchment paper, to the single tiny cut-out paper heart, to the photography, to the uploading of photos … all of which I am a novice at or have never done before … the cover art is 100% Kat Bastion.

Sharing Abundance

On the eve of a holiday in America where we gather to give thanks, we count our blessings, we send up prayers that our bounty continue, and we embrace those around us with love.

… At least in theory, anyway.

Not everyone can gather.
Not everyone is blessed.
Some have lost the will to pray.
Many have never known love.

Let’s change the above picture, something that deeply saddens me. None of us have everything. But some in the world have nothing. Remember them. Do what you can to show them you care.

The original tradition of Thanksgiving celebrated a coming together of two nations on one land in peace for prosperity. They enjoyed their abundance and counted their blessings. Let’s do the same on this day of Thanksgiving and every day.

Let’s stand together, united around the world, to show those who feel lost that they are not alone.

Join me in making all of them feel… Utterly Loved.

Utterly Loved is expected to release the first week of December. Please stay tuned for more information about the anticipated release date, and share news about Utterly Loved with your social worlds.

No dollar will ever line my pocket. All proceeds, less costs and taxes, will go to selected charities. So far those charities include World Vision and Covenant House.

How can you make a difference? Buy two books. Buy twenty. Tell everyone to do the same.

Together, we can make a world of difference. Our combined efforts will help everyone celebrate Thanksgiving and feel… Utterly Loved.

Poetic Warrior

A poetic warrior is what I have become. I awoke on another early morning with fire flowing from my heart, scorching my veins, and commanding my thumbs as they rapidly typed on my iPhone. In my dark bedroom under warm covers, the compelling story ricocheting through my mind and haunting my thoughts had to be released.

I blinked unbelieving at the latest poetry creation. It had become my second riotous tribute in a row waging war to save the fallen that, in ignorant bliss, I never knew existed.

After twenty-one poems of love and countless uplifting quotes, my sword rang out as I withdrew it from a scabbard that, unbeknownst to me, had always been strapped to my back.

A deep lungful of fresh air filled a newly risen warrior with purpose, ready to do battle for the greater good.

{smiles slowly}

In three weeks, a book of poetry will be released that has the ability to change the world.

Do you believe you can make a difference?

Do you have faith that a single book, through love, can reach those in desperate need of it?

I do.

In the perfect marriage of the haves and have-nots, the purchase of a book about love shares our love with the world. In a truly serendipitous chain of events, I’ve been given the inspiration and ability to write poetry and an internal need to share my unexpected gift to help others.

No dollar from the sales of the book will ever line my pockets. All proceeds, less costs and taxes, will go directly to help selected charities. So far, the charities I have chosen are World Vision and Covenant House.

The book title?

It is how one feels when they’ve willingly lost themselves to another.

It is the words you express to the one who captured your heart.

It is how every soul in this world should feel.

Utterly Loved.

How great of an impact can one person have?

Infinite… when you stand strongly together among millions.

Next week, I plan to share more exciting information about the book, as well as the book cover. Meanwhile, please enjoy the first poem I’ve written post Utterly Loved that expresses how I feel in my heart.